Just for the Job
by Almi Pendragon
Summary: Complete! Squall & Rinoa. AU. In a world of deceit wherein betrayal lies success, will Squall use Rinoa to get his long awaited promotion?
1. Pleasantries

"Most self-imposed burdens are founded on misperceptions.  We—at least we of sincere character—always judge ourselves by stricter standards than we expect others to abide by.  It is a curse, I suppose, or a blessing, depending on how one views it...Take it as a blessing, my friend, an inner calling that forces you to strive to unattainable heights." - R.A. Salvatore**__**

****

**_Chapter 1 – Pleasantries_**

_"It was supposed to be a forgettable experience.  She wasn't supposed to cross the privacy and solace of my thoughts ever again.  Her creamy white skin, raven black hair with such innocent eyes . . . and she **was** innocent . . . until I was through with her.  She was supposed to be part of business, a casualty of the job, but here I am now thinking of the soft lips that whispered my name tenderly as I took her virginity.  I did what no person should ever consciously do to another – I let her fall in love with me while pretending to love her back._

_My work required information about Galbadia's military activity and plans, and she **is the general's daughter.  I left her the night she told me what I needed to know, gave me the confidential files, believing and trusting that I was working for the good of the world. **_

_That's laughable.  I'm the furthest thing away from a philanthropist; I'm a mercenary hired by Galbadia's prime competitor, __Balamb__Garden__.  I accomplished my mission just like I was ordered . . . she was just a casualty – it wasn't my fault she became so useful.  What the fuck did I care if her heart broke when she found I had left in the morning – the morning after I had acquired my goal, the information, and along the way her 'innocence.'_

_Her name?__  Rinoa Caraway.  That's actually more than I remember for most of the women I've bedded for job reasons.  Cruel?  Perhaps . . . but this is the only life I know how to live.  I suppose I think of Rinoa now because she was the most innocent of them all – she actually thought she could change my distant demeanor – the fact that I never talked about my private life at all or said 'I love you' to her.  If it's one thing that I don't do, it is to tell that lie; even I'm not that heartless.  _

_My current assignment will be one of the most challenging I've ever faced – I have to regain her trust and to see her again.  Don't get me wrong, it's not because I have developed any amorous feelings for her, rather part of my new mission – to obtain the second half of the files.  Yeah that's right, she didn't get both parts of the file, and now all we know is there is going to be an invasion by Galbadia into Balamb, but no date.  _

_My mission is what I consider the hardest because of the toll on my conscience.  Rinoa actually seems like a decent girl and I try not to break a girl's heart twice._

_Hopefully I won't be spending a long time completing this case.  The sooner I get it done the sooner I get rid of her for the rest of my life.  She needs to find someone else anyways – I'm definitely not the type for long term . . . relationships, or anything of any emotional nature for that matter.  Feelings don't get the job done, feelings don't help promotions, and feelings can certainly make you feel shitty at times.  It's pessimistic, but I've survived with this philosophy, so you can't tell me it's completely wrong._

_I'm on the train now that will take me into Deling and back to her.  I wonder what she'll say, if she'll even talk to me initially.  I know she will forgive me and think our relationship, if it's even that, is the soul-mate love she's looking for because I've thought of the best excuse for my absence for over a week:_

_I'm going to ask her to marry me . . . just for the job."_

*****************************************************

"That'll be fourty gil sir," the florist politely stated, handing a dozen of his best roses to the tall brunette man waiting impatiently in the shadows.

Squall handed him a fifty gil note and nodded his thanks.  Pushing himself off the wall that had been his previous support he took the fragrant deep red blooms with one swift motion.  Whistling to himself in a dark tune he thought of the promotion that would accompany his success in the mission.  "_Commander Leonhart . . . it has a nice ring to it."_

He pulled out his sleek new cell phone model and dialed the number that had seeded itself in his memory.  Her phone rang once, twice, and then she answered.

Her voice shook with pain, anger, and heartbreak.  She exhaled the breath she had been holding, attempting to steady her voice.  

"S_he knows it's me alright."_  

"What do you want _Squall_?"  She spat out his name.

"Hey babe, how are you?" Squall pricked his finger on the thorn of one of the roses.  Acting charming was not a test of his ability, but rather of his conscience.  There was no question in his mind that he would have preferred a simpler mission, but Cid was testing skills other than battle prowess.  Higher positions in Garden required greater skill in all areas of warfare.

A drop of blood matching the color of the roses formed on the tip of his finger.  He shook it away carelessly, watching in fascination as it formed a perfect sphere before splattering on the sidewalk.

"_Hey babe, how are you?_" Rinoa asked incredulously.  "That's all you can say to me after disappearing for more than a week?  Especially after . . . didn't that matter to you at all?  Or staying with me the morning after?" Her voice cracked at the obvious pain that emanated through her entire being.  "You know . . ." she choked back a sob, "it was my first time, and you just disappeared!  I thought you didn't care or were even hurt or dead!  You didn't even call me!"

Squall rolled his eyes.  "_Hyne, the things I put up with – pms-ing women are definitely not my favorite thing_."  "Look, I'm sorry but there was something extremely important that came up.  I'll explain everything to you; just meet me at Deling Central Park as soon as you can."

"Squall, I don't know if I want to see you again . . ." she began.  "After all the pain and worry you put me through . . .Hyne!  You don't –" Rinoa ranted but was interrupted by Squall.

"Rin, just _trust me."  _

Squall strolled towards the park, which was only a couple of blocks from his current location.  He calculated that this assignment should take less than a week.

There was a pause on the phone and Squall heard her sigh heavily.  "Alright.  I'll see you there in five minutes."

"_Works like a charm."_   The phone clicked and Squall's unreadable face returned.  He was handsomely dressed and he knew the Rinoa would be secretly impressed.  She didn't even know the real him – the lone wolf that hardly smiled, or his need for solitude, refuge in training, or even his real name.  Not that it made any difference; she was insignificant in the scheme of things.

Squall hurried past the people leisurely strolling by and had spare time as he comfortably seated himself beneath the tree Rinoa had dubbed as 'their' spot.  Hiding the roses behind his back, he stretched his long legs out and cracked his neck.  He'd need a break from the missions soon.  The stress of work was getting to him despite the seeming peace Deling's beautiful summer weather offered to tourists and wayward travelers.  A light breeze drifted through the air, fluttering through Squall's hair, giving it a more natural, rugged look.  He savored the smell of the air just after the rain, associating it with Deling and Rinoa.

Dusting off the soot that had latched itself to his dress jacket which extended slightly beyond his hip and fit him perfectly, Squall checked himself over once to make sure everything was in place.  The slacks and grey dress shirt brought out the grey flecks in his eyes, not that anyone could see his eyes beyond the silver reflective shades that hinted at his desire to be reclusive.  He knew he was attractive, the open mouths of the women he passed on the street told him that much.  Squall only needed to impress one woman though and didn't give the others a second glance, not that he would if he was off-duty anyways.  Women were merely a distraction and caused . . . complications.

Slender long legs stopped in front of Squall's vision.  He allowed himself to trace the model legs up to the black skirt and light blue silk top he knew she would be wearing – it was her favorite blouse after all.  Her hair was flowing free in the light wind and there was no mar or flaw in her beautiful face.  Her skin was milky white, her fingers soft and delicate, and her eyes a luminous brown.  Her figure was just as attractive and perfect as he remembered.  She was definitely easy on the eyes.  "Squall," she started, interrupting his silent appreciation.

Squall lifted himself off the ground and stood a few inches taller than Rinoa, despite the fact she was wearing two inch stilettos.  "Rinoa," he began as he took her hand despite her initial reaction of jerking it away.  "I know I haven't been a very good boyfriend in the last week, but. . ."  Rinoa arched an eyebrow as she looked wearily at Squall.  He pulled out the bouquet of luscious flowers with spiraling petals that resembled the fading colors of a sunset and held it to her. And just as he expected, she gasped.  

"_Just as superficial as I thought."_ Squall rolled his eyes behind the sunglasses.

Rinoa's eyes shimmered with newly formed tears as she waited for Squall to continue, fingering the feathery-soft petals of the flowers.  Squall pretended to be nervous as he slowly took off his glasses, only now revealing blue-gray orbs that met Rinoa's.  Pulling out a small velvet box, he revealed the pricey gem inside.  It was simplistic in its elegance, and thoughtless.  He hadn't cared when he bought it.  He gave the surprised dealer a price range and the man had picked the ring out for him.  The process had taken less than five minutes.

"I want you to know you're the only woman for me," Squall began.  He congratulated himself on rehearsing it beforehand.  "And I want you to be the only woman for me for the rest of our lives.  Rinoa Caraway, will you marry me?" 

Rinoa smiled gently.  Squall was waiting impatiently as his leg began to cramp from his awkward position.  "Yes Squall, of course I'll marry you."  She placed her arms around him, giving him a hug of reassurance as he initially stiffened in response to the contact.  "That's what you were planning this last week.  Oh Hyne, I thought it was just a one night thing to you."  

Squall smiled inwardly at how right she really was.  "_At least she's not completely stupid._"  "Rinoa, how could you think that . . . after everything?" Squall gave her a charming smile that was not his own.

"You're right, I shouldn't have doubted you." Rinoa laid her head upon Squall's shoulder, still hugging him.  Squall gently pulled her left hand out and slipped the ring on.

"See, perfect fit for the perfect girl," Squall murmured in her ear.

"And you're the perfect man," whispered Rinoa as she tenderly kissed Squall.

_"No, more like the perfect actor," _Squall added silently as he pulled her to him and mindlessly kissed her back.

*****************************************************

"Yes , I understand sir.  Things are going well sir; I should have the rest of the files within the week.  Thank you.  Bye."  Squall shut his cell phone and plopped down on the clean sheets of the apartment bed, thinking about the day's events.  Rinoa was going crazy planning the wedding despite there being no set date.  "_Women."_  She had been talking about the details and asked his opinion on everything.  "_As if I care._"  He finally managed to escape her with the excuse he was tired and she could go ahead and plan without him.  This mission was definitely taxing.

Sweat beaded in small droplets on his head and he gingerly took off the expensive dress jacket.  He decided to take a shower to relieve the heat.  Unbuttoning his shirt he closed his eyes imagining the cool droplets upon his skin when someone knocking on the door interrupted his peace.  Squall growled in annoyance.

"Who is it?!" he yelled loudly.

"It's me, Rinoa," came the voice across the door.

Squall sighed and put on his best charming, patient smile.  "_To think I was escaping her for a short while . . ." Forgetting and uncaring even if he had remembered, Squall answered the door with his shirt still unbuttoned, exposing his well toned chest._

"Forget something?" Squall asked.  He arched an eyebrow when Rinoa didn't say anything and traced her gaze.  He let out a low chuckle.

Rinoa blushed, unable to cover the attraction she felt.  The hard firm muscles she could now visibly see without the protection of a shirt.  With a medium tan, broad shoulders, and a rugged handsomeness, Squall was definitely distracting her.  The word sexy was an understatement for Squall.  She tore her gaze away from his heavenly body and met his genuinely amused eyes.  His sturdy tall frame rested against the doorway as he folded his arms, waiting for her to give him the reason she had come.

"I . . .I" Rinoa stumbled upon her words.  Annoyed with herself she tried to remember the reason she had come to see him and turned her gaze from him to think.  "I actually forgot why I came . . ." she blushed again, agitated with herself "and I'm quite embarrassed."

"Why don't you come in, give yourself a few minutes to think about it?  I'm not doing anything important right now," Squall offered making a small gesture inwards.

"If I come in I may never leave," Rinoa muttered under her breath as she accepted the offer by stepping in.  She smelled the traces of cool aftershave Squall wore and closed her eyes at the familiar, comforting scent.

Squall hid a smile and pretended not to hear her comment as he closed and locked the door.  Rinoa delicately sat on the black Italian leather sofa, crossing her long legs in a lady-like fashion as taught by the etiquette classes she had been forced to attend as a teenager.  She didn't notice her skirt riding higher exposing creamy slender legs, but Squall certainly did.  He had been thinking about her body every since the last night with her.  He licked his lips and swallowed.  "_Shit.  Got to think of something else."_

Taking himself away from his new thoughts, he concentrated on simple things.  "Want something to drink?" Squall asked, still studying Rinoa.

She was chewing on her lip with an elbow propped up on the arm of the sofa and looking out the window.  She turned to him, smiled and waved a hand distractedly.  "No thanks.  You don't need to cater to me.  Go ahead and continue what you were doing before I came; I really don't mind."  She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, another of her habits that betrayed her preoccupied mind.

Squall was amused.  "If you insist." He took off his unbuttoned shirt and playfully tossed it over her eyes.

"Squall!" Rinoa exclaimed shocked.  How was she supposed to practice self-restraint now?

"What?  I'm shy," he teased purposefully ignorant of the real reason for her shock.  "Besides I know you'll look.  You've been stalking me ever since the first time you laid your eyes on my wonderful self.  Not to mention my shirt is . . . somewhat clean," he teased.  Squall wanted her and the shower was forgotten.  "By the way, why did you come up to me in the first place?  Couldn't resist my good looks?"

"Whatever, just hurry up.  Your shirt stinks," she said crossing her arms with her eyes still covered by the shirt, expertly changing the subject just as her father had taught her through his lifelong avoidance of particular topics.

Hearing nothing around her she thought Squall had left the room for the shower.  She jumped slightly when she felt a warm breath tickle her ear and her body shivered in anticipation.

"I resent that.  It was a relatively clean shirt," he whispered huskily, muzzling her ear with his lips as he pulled the shirt off her eyes.  Pulling her to him, Squall gently massaged her shoulders and placed hungry kisses on the nape of her neck.  She moaned softly, mesmerized in Squall's spell.  Leaning back into him, she wrapped one arm around the back of his neck entwining her fingers in his locks while he continued to trail kisses.  He moved one of his hands down the side of her body, allowing himself to feel what he had been dreaming about.  Moving one hand upwards he caressed her sensually, eliciting another moan from Rinoa.

Tired of his patience, Squall swiftly turned and pinned Rinoa to the couch.  Her eyes closed as she indulged her senses.  Rinoa caressed Squall's face tenderly while meeting his lips in a gentle kiss.  She bit on his lower lip and moved her cheek to his smooth shaven one.  "I love you Squall Loire," she whispered as she lowered herself back onto the couch, letting Squall take control.

Loire.  Squall had chosen the pseudonym, and the name he would have had if he were living in a patrilineal society as an ironic gesture.  He hated his father just as he hated this part of himself – the debonair man that was not his true self but merely a shell he wore as part of his job.

Sadness flickered in his face for the briefest of seconds and then he gave her his infamous half smile.  "_If only you loved Squall Leonhart."_  His thought surprised him but didn't stop him from unbuttoning her shirt and tossing it to the floor.  Removing their clothing expertly, Squall nipped hard at Rinoa's exposed flesh.  He pushed wistful, pointless thoughts out of his mind through being forceful with her.  He roughly kissed her and caressed her body to the point of almost being painful.  She reacted in pleasure and he growled, crushing her delicate lips with a strong kiss.  He wanted her to feel his pain, his loneliness, the burden of the work he was forced to do; things he could and would never tell her.  She was just a tool, not his equal.

Squall Loire was passionate, suave, a bit of a lady's man, and who Rinoa was in love with.  He would not fail to give her the illusions that comforted her.  It was the smallest bit of kindness he would show – temporary joy.  Granted his work was made easier by seduction and falsities, but he felt the slightest obligation towards the girl whose heart he was going to break.

Rinoa's eyes fluttered open as Squall joined their bodies into one.  Locking her eyes onto his, she graced him with beautiful innocence; as he stared into her eyes he saw an undisguised bittersweetness that he didn't understand.  He had never such a haunted broken-hearted look.  _"What the hell?"  His conscience responded to his query: "__You sound like you almost care Leonhart."  _"I don't._"  To prove his point he lost himself in a heated kiss with the beautiful woman beside him ignoring the pain he had seen in her eyes._

Seconds passed, and Time continued its chartered course of fading into memory and memory into oblivion.  She gasped and shuddered, holding onto his muscled figure for support and whispered sweet nothings into his ear.  She gave into him, letting him taking her as he pleased, giving him one of the most prized of treasures.  It was the act that joined two lovers, consummation of their unity and affirmation of their love.  It was the same act that bonded soulmates.  

But for Squall it was merely a small reward in his line of work.  It was simply pleasure and nothing more.  Even with her inexperience she had been the best of all the women he had had by far.  "_She's a good fuck, nothing more,"_ he convinced himself.

He took her hard and fast, punishing her for his wrongdoings, as if the guilt could shed from his body like a second skin.  As he reached his climax, he collapsed panting heavily, tired from straining himself.  He moaned and clasped Rinoa in his arms as she too experienced physical pleasure.  She wrapped her arms around him, letting him fall asleep, keeping his body warm with her own.  She sighed as he was claimed by his mistress, sleep.  

She tenderly brushed a strand of fallen hair from his face, caressing him.  Her normally jovial eyes had turned a dark melancholy brown.  Her heart shivered from its burden of loneliness and pain as it was ironically alone despite the presence of another heart beating so close to it.  She closed her eyes, blinking back her tears; she hadn't genuinely cried since the death of her mother so many years ago, and she refused to now for the sleeping figure.  He wasn't worth it.

She twisted a strand of his hair around her finger and combed his hair with soft strokes of her hand.  "If only you truly loved me Squall . . . if only," she whispered wistfully.

The words softly echoed into his ears, and his mind tried to rouse him as it recognized the sadness and importance of those words.  His heart trembled at her pain, trying to wake its owner to comfort her, but to no avail.

Squall slept on.

*****************************************************

Rinoa left early in the morning, before Squall could leave her.  He would not stay through the morning she knew.  She dressed quickly and silently.  Squall lay on the couch sleeping, covered with a blanket she had thrown over him.  She kissed her fingers and pressed them to Squall's cheek, studying and memorizing his rugged features.

"I wish I knew you . . ." she began.  "The real you . . ." She turned to the window, watching as Helios's chariot began its run through the sky, relieving Selene from her nightly duties.  The moon bid its farewell as sunlight crept in through cracks in the curtains.  Dawn was approaching and with it her courage and honesty would leave her.  She was a daughter of the night, sister to the moon – revealing her true self only in the darkness and in solitude.  Born to the world of glittering parties and infinite pretenses, Rinoa hid herself behind many guises.

"I tried everything to make you love me."  She folded her arms for comfort or from the cold, and turned to Squall once more.  "At one point I thought you were the one for me . . . the person I could spend the rest of my life with.  But how can I be yours when you won't even show me who you really are?"  She fingered the dead weight of the engagement ring on her finger.  The sparkling diamond glittered lifelessly on her hand.

"I'm sorry . . . for the both of us," she spoke softly and honestly, sweeping her hand through his silky brown hair once more.  "What will never be, and what never has been.  But at least . . . it was a sweet dream."

Her dream dissipated like the hazy fog with the coming of the light.  She admired him once more and left him, and her dream behind.  Rinoa closed the door softly and Squall never once stirred to the soundless weeping of her soul.

**Author's Note**: I'm still working on the other story, _Outcast_, so no worries there.  Thanks everyone for the support and patience so far.  A special thanks to The Angel of the Lion for valuable opinions regarding this chapter.


	2. Betrayal

_"It takes a wise man to handle a lie.  A fool had better remain honest." – Norman Douglas_

****

**_Chapter 2 - Betrayal_**

Squall growled as his body forced him to wake up.  Narrowing his eyes, he quickly scanned his apartment.  "Rinoa?" he called his voice still heavy with the sounds of sleep.  Silence answered him.  She had left.

It bothered him more than he would admit.  Squall had always done the leaving to have control over his emotions and to avoid the bitter feelings of emptiness.

 "_She was just a good lay," he convinced himself.  Pushing aside his increasingly annoying thoughts he slipped on a pair of pants and his feet padded the carpet to the shower.  He had work to do today.  His goal was to get the files today.  The less time he spent with Rinoa the better.  She would only get more attached and heartbroken.  Then he realized he was thinking about her well-being once again.  Surprised at himself, Squall shook the thoughts away.  He didn't have the patience to sort out the reasons for uncharacteristic emotions while working._

Squall made a note to brood later.

Squall's trained ears picked up a very subtle yet distinctive sound of boots walking across the floor interrupted his reverie.  "Almasy, what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don't screw up," he replied with a Cheshire grin.  He folded his arms across his chest challenging Squall.

Squall didn't bother to look up as he grabbed his clothes from the floor.  "Fine.  Whatever.  Get out," he commanded.

Seifer ignored him and cast a glance at the mess of clothes Squall was cleaning up.  Then his face lit up into a cocky smile.  "Wild night again?"  He knew Squall hated that part of his job – to use women, and he also knew that the current assignment had been bothering Squall the most.  He understood Squall like he understood himself – they complimented each other in their strengths and weaknesses; that was if they didn't get into a fight.

Squall growled.  "Whatever."  He threw his clothes into the laundry hamper and turned to glare at Seifer.

Seifer continued to annoy Squall.  "So, is she a better lay than the rest?  Because I mean when you're done with the assignment I want to a piece of her too."  Squall's eyes narrowed and he walked towards Seifer who only continued to taunt Squall.  "I mean Hyne!  Did you see those legs?!"

Squall slammed Seifer against the wall.  "Get the fuck out."  Wintry blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.  "How the hell do you know what Rinoa looks like?"

Seifer threw his hands up defensively.  "Geez, no need for violence Leonhart.  It was just a guess since you usually go for the women with great legs.  I have to commend your taste." He let out a wolf whistle.  "I mean the last girl . . . damn, she was great.  She was so heartbroken about you, and I was there to . . ." Seifer grinned, "comfort her.  You know I don't think she'll ever trust men again.  I wonder why . . ." He scratched the stubble on his chin pretending he was deep in thought.  

Suddenly he turned his eyes to Squall.  "You didn't care about the ones before, why this one?"  Emerald eyes glittered in amusement as he teased the now angry Squall.

"I don't.  Go bother someone else Seifer."  Squall grabbed the door handle violently, opening it, cueing Seifer to leave.

"All right, all right, I can see where I'm not wanted.  I'll catch you later . . . 'Leonhartless.'" Seifer left Squall with that comment, enjoying his verbal taunts with Squall and congratulating himself on his wit.

Squall slammed the door, thoroughly bothered by Seifer's statements.  Was he really that heartless?  He gave Rinoa temporary happiness, wasn't that enough?  _"Aw . . . are you saying you care?" His conscience teased him.  Narrowing his eyes, Squall cleared his mind, repressing the conscience that continually mocked him as he headed towards the shower once more._

*****************************************************

Slim pointed heels of knee high boots clicked across the pavement.  She was dressed completely in black.  Leather pants with a silk, sleeveless turtleneck, covered with an expensive designer trench coat.  Rinoa looked like an ethereal creature of the night.  She was an untouchable beauty.  Everything accentuated her features – from her long legs to the luminescent skin.  She stopped at the corner of an alley, just as planned.  She pretended to adjust her boots as she knelt down.

"Did you give him the file?" a male voice demanded from the darkness.

"Yes," she replied in an annoyed voice.

"Where is he meeting you?"

"Paloma and Central in five minutes," she coolly replied.  "And he's already there." And in a softer tone filled with knowledge gained from familiarity she added, "He's always early."

"Good.  I'll meet you there," a masculine voice said with evident satisfaction.  He slid further into the shadows as Rinoa left to meet Squall.  Pain laced her entire aura as she imagined Squall's reaction.  She wished it didn't have to be necessary.

*****************************************************

Squall stood straight and stretched his sore muscles.  He had been waiting a few minutes for Rinoa to meet him near their spot in the park.  He owed her this.  She had given him the second half of the files earlier that day, which he had immediately sent to Cid.  The mission was accomplished and he could have gone back to Balamb in the afternoon.  But he had stayed . . . for her.  Upon hearing that he needed to go back to Balamb for a while, Rinoa insisted that they meet that night.  So he had agreed; he missed the train that would had taken him back and sent for his car instead.  The black jeep was parked half a block away.  

The only sounds that could be heard were the crickets chirping softly until the click of heels signaling Rinoa was coming interrupted their symphony.  Squall thought of her and realized she was the only one that had ever meant anything to him, even if it was just a tiny sliver of caring reserved for only her.

Rinoa seemed to blend in with the darkness of the night, as if she were a child cloaked protectively by its mother.  She didn't smile as she met his gaze.  "Hi Squall," she said softly, sounding almost regretful.

Squall Loire took over once more.  "You look good," he said nodding in appreciation.

With that simple statement, Rinoa immediately hid behind a mask and her body stiffened in response.  She hated people measuring her looks, judging her based solely on her beauty.  Her posture became a defensive one.  

She knew that tone of voice too well.  "I did it for you.  A goodbye of sorts; I had to look good in your last memory of me."  She coldly stared into his eyes as he walked over to her.

Squall forced a laugh.  "We're engaged.  You're making it sound as if this was the last time I'm ever going to see you."  He reached to her to give her a hug but she stepped back, weary of his games.

"That's what you were planning wasn't it?  You were just going to use me and leave me again."  Rinoa was fighting against tears, breathing heavily.  She was not going to cry, not for him, ever.  She kept telling herself he didn't mean anything.  Their time together was merely business for him.  If he could keep his emotions separate, then so could she.

They locked gazes, daring each other to reveal themselves.  Squall recognized the pain in her eyes, and suddenly understood he had been the cause of her hurt from the beginning.  He had underestimated her intelligence, her worth as a person.  Guilt squeezed the heart he thought he had lost long ago with a small girl in the orphanage.

"Did you think I was that stupid Squall Loire?  Or should I say Leonhart?"  Her eyes mocked him as his eyes widened in surprise.  How did she know his last name was Leonhart?

"What?" Squall asked sharply, unwilling to believe he had failed everything.  She knew he was using her all along . . . and she had let him.  He tried to understand her reasoning but could not.  He waited for an explanation.

"Don't even pretend as if you loved me.  We both know you never did."  She pulled the ring off her finger and threw it at him.  It hit him and fell to the ground, bouncing on the sidewalk with light _clinks_.  "That was just a fucking lie."  

Hatred gleamed in her eyes as another figure approached the pair.  Squall stared at the fallen ring in shock.  It symbolized his failure to win her, to succeed in the mission, and most of all the loss of his promotion.

Squall's eyes narrowed in distrust as he watched Seifer wrap a comfortable arm around Rinoa's shoulders.  He noticed she was uncomfortable around Seifer, suggesting they had been acquainted shortly before.  He also felt like he was being watched, but shrugged off his paranoia.

"Seifer?  What the hell are you doing?" Squall yelled at him, angry at everything that was going wrong.

"Tsk tsk," Seifer wagged a finger at him.  "Such language in front of a lady . . . and a very . . . beautiful one at that," he said while purposefully provoking Squall by running a finger down Rinoa's face.  Rinoa flinched slightly in disgust but impressively maintained a fixed stare on Squall.

"Don't touch her!" Squall hissed and immediately regretted his outburst.  What the hell was he thinking?  He was showing personal attachment to the girl that had betrayed him.

"I don't think you have the right to tell her that Squall," Seifer mocked.

Squall ignored Seifer and turned to Rinoa.  "Why the hell are you trusting him?  He works for the same place that I do!"

"Are you suggesting that I should trust you?!" She let out a bitter laugh.  "Now that's rich.  You've done nothing but use me you asshole.  But guess what?  I played you Squall." She smirked.  "Yeah, you know the files you sent to your superior?  They were forged documents.  Galbadia was never planning to invade Balamb.  Now Balamb will attack Galbadia first and a war will ensue, wiping out both major powers.  And then of course, there's the bonus of you being accused as a traitor, giving falsified information to Garden."  She gave him a smile.  "Yeah, that's definitely a nice touch to this whole thing - knowing that I was the one that ruined you Squall.  It's a nice revenge for all those women you've used."

Squall folded his arms, determined to be unaffected by her betrayal.  "You're fucking yourself over.  Seifer only works for himself."  Seifer's eyes gleamed with delight, basking in the power he held over his lifelong rival.

"He's working for me, for freeing Timber from Galbadia," she retorted.

"Whatever," Squall replied.  It was her loss if she didn't believe him.

"Goodbye Squall.  I'm not going to miss you," Rinoa said as she took aim with her gun.  She squeezed the trigger slowly.  

Seifer hit the back of her head with the butt of the gun he had just pulled out.  She fell to the dew-covered grass soundlessly.  Squall looked down at Rinoa and blinked back his surprise.  He narrowed his eyes at Seifer with a questioning stare.  

"I didn't want her ruining my plans."  

Squall continued to lock gazes with Seifer as Seifer waved his gun at him.  "Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not on your side or hers.  You were right.  I work for myself," he said smiling smugly.  "I was just using her against you." Seifer laughed.  "Poor bitch," he said tossing his head towards Rinoa.  "Doesn't know who to trust.  We fuck up women well don't we Squall.  Unfortunately for you there won't be a 'we' anymore.  She and you are both going to have a 'little' fight.  She finds out you were using her and goes to kill you while I try to save you, but alas too late," he waved his hand melodramatically.  "And to prove I was trying to save you from her . . ." Seifer pulled out a tape player that he used to record parts of Rinoa and Squall's conversation.

"Meanwhile Cid is going to look at the falsified data you gave him and brand you a traitor as you were working with Rinoa, while I, obtaining the correct files," Seifer waved a sealed manila folder in his hand, "will get the promotion you wanted." He gave Squall a cocky grin.  "Oh, and Rinoa, she'll be branded a traitor as well, seeing as 'she' stole these files from her old daddy's office."

Squall glared at Seifer but said nothing.

"Perfect if I say so myself.  Don't worry, I wouldn't let you die alone – I'll give you Rinoa as company.  You two are going somewhere no one will ever find you, no bodies, no evidence – shot each other over the cliff."  Seifer smirked.  "Yes yes, I know I'm a genius.  This is why I'm getting the commanding officer position, the women, and the fame."  He pulled Rinoa off from the ground, never letting his gun leave Squall.  

"Although, she's not bad at all.  We definitely have similar taste in women." Seifer ran a hand down Rinoa's body as she was propped against his arm.

Squall growled.  "Don't fucking touch her." He couldn't suppress his feelings of possession of her.

Seifer smirked and shoved Rinoa's body towards Squall, who caught her deftly.  "Don't worry I've already had a piece of her." 

Tired of the conversation Seifer nodded curtly to his car.  "Let's go."  Squall got into the Seifer's parked car and laid Rinoa gently in the back seat.  Seifer tied Squall's hands and directed him to the front seat.  "To make sure you don't get any smart ideas . . ."

The last thing Squall remembered before becoming unconscious was the sight of Seifer's knuckles approaching him.


	3. Escapades

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the positive feedback everyone.  And thanks to Optical Goddess, Cleo Leya for putting this story in your favorites – I'm honored. Mizuko, lol on bashing Squall over the head.  He gets better . . . we hope.  Oh, explanations to most if not all questions about what exactly happened should be answered in the next chapter.

****

**_Chapter 3 - Escapades_**

_Drip.__  Drip.  Drip.  The slow rhythm of the falling water in the dark, musty room was the first sound Squall heard as he woke.  Shaking his head, he tried to focus on his surroundings.  The first thing he saw caused his slow beating heart to pick up its pace._

"_Oh god . . . Rinoa._"  Crawling against his bonds, Squall inched towards the raven-haired beauty that lay so very still against one side of the prison cell.  Blood trickled from a cut on her head. 

"Rinoa?" Squall's voice cracked from his parched throat.  "_Please be ok._"

She stirred and her head lifted.  Her eyelids fluttered open as she tried to determine who had woken her.  She met a pair of blue-grey eyes that could only belong to one person.  "Oh god . . . I'm in hell."

Squall sighed in relief and slumped against the metal bars.

"Get the hell away from me Leonhart," she growled and lifted a heeled boot in warning.

Squall moved out of her kicking range and looked at the prison.  It appeared to have been abandoned for many years.  Water dripped from the ceiling as small beams of sunlight made its way through the crevices.  Moss grew around rusted bars in a sort of spiral-like decoration.  The only furniture was a small dirty cot in a corner of the prison.

"Aren't you going to whine or ask about what you're doing here?" Squall cocked his head in surprise.

Rinoa snorted, rubbing her arms from the cold.  "Obviously Seifer betrayed me.  And whine?  I don't do whining."

"Then what the hell was the last week?" Squall asked incredulously.

"Not me," she replied curtly.

He nodded slowly in a parallel understanding.  She had also been acting.  But why did he care so much that everything she had done was just the same as he had done?  "What about that . . . night?" he asked curiously, cautiously.  Had she given her virginity so easily to obtain her goals?

"I needed you to believe I loved you.  You wouldn't have trusted me otherwise," she replied while twisting her hands, trying to break free of her bonds.  "The exact same thing you did, I should remind you."

_"But it was your first time . . . Did it really not mean anything to you?"_ Squall pitied her.

She laughed bitterly, understanding the look that crossed his face.  "Spare the pity please.  It was just part of the job," she assured him and herself.  Rinoa added, "Don't worry, I don't care about you.  I never did."

Squall felt his heart suddenly fell very heavy and it bothered him that he had some sort of feelings for the girl sitting just a few feet away from him.  He swallowed and turned away from her, focusing on escaping.

"How much was truth?" Squall asked, looking for a sharp object to cut his bonds.

Rinoa turned to face him, scrutinizing him.  "Why do you care?"

_"Because it . . . you matter to me._" Squall shrugged in response.  _"Coward._"

Rinoa sighed.  "Some of it.  My name is Rinoa Heartilly.  I used Caraway because I hated the façade just as much as I hate my father.  I'm not as innocent or annoying as I pretended to be.  I whined just to annoy the hell out of you.  Was fun wasn't it?" she asked mockingly.

She scanned the ceiling and everywhere else but could not find anything useful for breaking the bonds.  She gritted her teeth and looked at Squall.  He could help her out of the ropes.  _"Like hell I'm going to ask him for help_."  She stared at the ground.  "_Damn it . . . why is he so stubborn."  She knew he wouldn't ask for help.  It was one of the traits she had begun to associate with Squall.  Rinoa began to rub the knots against the metal bars vigorously in hopes that it would help some.  But she only managed to hurt her wrists in the process.  She gasped at the raw pain, catching his attention.  She turned away, embarrassed.  Squall cast a glance over and hesitantly spoke._

"Let me help you," he said calmly in the voice she had always thought of as soothing.

Frustrated and annoyed her enemy was helping her, Rinoa growled.  "Fine, but hurry up."

Squall scooted towards her and she turned her back to him, exposing the bonds.  Squall had managed to move his arms to the front of his body, still tied.  He gently grasped her hands while loosening the binding.  After several minutes he had sufficiently given her enough space to slip her hands out.  Rinoa rubbed her wrists in relief.  Squall turned his back towards her, puzzling Rinoa.

"Don't you want me to unbind you?" she asked with a curious but narrowed gaze.

"_You don't owe me anything."_ Squall met her eyes and spoke softly.  "Whatever."

"That's your phrase isn't it. 'Whatever.'  How . . . creative," she mocked.  She stood up and walked over to him, and sat beside him.  "Give me your hands."

"No." She owed him nothing.  Besides, he could manage to get out of the ropes himself . . . somehow.

"Stop being so fucking stubborn," she said, exasperated.  "Besides, I can't exactly hurt much without a weapon now can I?"

His face turned to a scowl.  The distrust on his face was apparent.  "Why?  Why help me after everything?"

She turned her eyes to meet his steady blue gaze.  "Because I'm not you."

_"Ouch."_ He nodded.  "_Guess I deserved that one."_

"Yeah, you did," Rinoa replied while finishing unbinding his hands.

Squall's head snapped towards her.  "What?"

Rinoa was still undoing the last knot and replied: "Yes, you deserved that comment.  What are you deaf or something?" She hadn't realized Squall hadn't said the remark aloud.

As soon as his bonds were freed Squall gripped Rinoa and shoved her against the bars. "Ok, how the hell did you read my mind?"

Rinoa's eyes darkened as soon as Squall touched her.  "Get your hands off me," she spat.  The close proximity of the young mercenary unnerved her.

"Not until you tell what the hell is going on," Squall barked.

Rinoa cast an angry gaze at Squall and moved her knee towards his groin with a definite force.  Squall had anticipated her move and blocked her.  "Now that wasn't very nice," he mocked.

She held her head defiantly and angrily glared at her captor.  Rinoa refused to speak as Squall pinned her.  She caught the faint trace of aftershave that he wore and before she realized what she was doing, she relaxed.  

Squall shook her again and demanded an explanation.  "Tell me, damn it!"  _"I'm tired of being played."_

She let out a short laugh.  "You're sick of being played?  How do you think I feel Leonhart?" She tossed her head back.  "You're such a hypocrite and a pathetic one at that.  What makes you think you deserve to know how I can read your mind?"

"_I don't . . . but I wish you would just trust me."_ Squall wasn't able to block his thought and Rinoa's eyes widened in slight surprise.

She murmured a reply.  "Sorceress.  I'm a sorceress." 

Squall immediately released her, shocked as well.  "Then why didn't you figure Seifer out earlier?"

"My powers are weak," she admitted, then turned annoyed to him.  "Didn't you ever learn your history?" Squall merely stared at her and she sighed.  "Sorceresses are weak without a knight."

"That still doesn't explain why you can read my mind," Squall said bluntly.

"Maybe because I don't know," she retorted.  Silence ensued as the two prowled around the cage looking for any weaknesses in their holdings.

Rinoa pushed her raven-black hair back as she turned towards the ceiling and spotted a crack.  She pointed her hands towards the crack and muttered a spell. "Fire," she chanted.  The flame barely nicked the ceiling; she didn't have enough height to reach the roof.

"Too short?" Squall asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Rinoa glared at him and pointed her hands towards him.  "Cold?" she snapped.

Squall rolled his eyes and walked over to Rinoa.  He boosted her up by cupping his hands.  She stood on the balls of her feet to avoid injuring Squall with the heels.  "Fire!" she cried again.  The small ball of flame engulfed the ceiling, causing chunks of rock to tumble down.

"Move!" shouted Squall as Rinoa quickly stepped down from his hand only to be hit by a sharp piece of concrete.  Squall scrambled to cover Rinoa with his body, pressing her to the bars.

The entire ceiling crumbled as Squall shielded Rinoa.  The last piece of concrete fell, revealing an upper level.  Squall moved off Rinoa who groaned while holding the side of her head.

"Damn rocks," she muttered.  It had hit her near the same spot Seifer had.  A fresh stream of blood flowed down the side of her face.  Squall stepped near her to examine the wound but she stopped him with one hand.  "Stay away from me," she hissed.  Rinoa leaned heavily against the bars, trying to will her headache away.  She couldn't cast properly without good concentration.

"I'm just trying to help," he argued.  _"Stubborn woman."  He tried to turn her towards him once more._

"I heard that," she snarled and flashed him an angry glance.

"Stop listening to my thoughts!" growled Squall.  He pushed past Rinoa's hand and moved the other one covering the wound.  He saw the bruise that had begun to form as blood dried, changing the texture of her hair.  She would need stitches or a good cure spell.  She tried to push him away again, but Squall's strength determined the winner of their mini-scaled war.

"Quit pushing me away," he ordered her.

"Then go away so I don't have to push you," she retorted, still trying to fight off Squall.  While trying to push him away she tripped backwards over a piece of fallen ceiling and grabbed Squall instinctively for support, but only caused him to fall with her.  He landed on top and they both panted heavily.  

"Get off!" she yelped.  She tried to force him off with her hands but Squall merely grabbed them and pinned them on top of her with ease.

He forced her to meet his eyes, and she shivered at the emotions he allowed her to read in his eyes.  Frustration, anger, desire, and . . . a stubborn and unwilling affection for her were all there.  She turned her gaze, afraid that he could read her as easily.  Squall refused to accept her cowardice and used his free hand to tilt her head towards him.  She reluctantly met his eyes.  She didn't need to read his mind to know what he wanted, but she didn't resist him.  He would always have a greater power than her sorceress magic ever could.  His betrayal was temporarily forgotten as was her earlier intentions of killing him.  

Bluish-gray eyes rolled like gentle clouds across her face as Squall forgot his self-imposed rules.  Nothing mattered except her.

"Stop saying things you don't mean," he growled.  Leaning down he gently brushed her lips.  She didn't respond, still undecided.  Squall continued to caress her lips with his, weaving a gentle spell within her.  She broke it by shoving him back, glaring at him.

The stolen kiss had come too late.  He had lost his chance.  They were both going to die and he had nothing to lose.  Like hell she would let him use her again.  She glared at him.  "Asshole_." _

They were panting heavily and Squall was flustered and angry.  He knew that look in her eyes – she had invaded the privacy of his mind.  Fear bordered his thoughts and influenced his rationality.  He would not be hurt again.  "It didn't mean anything," he bluntly stated.  He closed his mind and thoughts to her when he felt her prodding for the truth.

Rinoa just let out a harsh laugh.  "Not to me," she said her voice dripping with venom. "And probably not you either.  We both know why you never committed to any relationship."  

At this Squall snapped his attention towards her.  She couldn't possibly know.

She smirked at his sudden interest in the conversation.  "Ellone ring a bell?  Or should I say Sis?"

"Shut up!" Squall immediately bellowed.  He swiped a hand through the air horizontally.

"What's wrong?  Don't like hearing how she ditched you?" Rinoa taunted, unaware of the immense pain and anger that was now coursing through Squall's veins.  

_"I will not hit a girl . . . I will not hit Rinoa . . . I will not . . ."_

"That's why you don't want to get close to anyone . . . so they can't leave you broken-hearted like she did.  Poor pathetic-" Rinoa was cut off as Squall swung a fist at her.  She took a sharp intake of breath at the unexpected reaction, closing her eyes instinctively.

Squall managed to stop his shaking fist just before it contacted Rinoa's face.  Sweat beaded his brow as his eyes filled with hate towards her.  Shocked at himself Squall pulled away from her and walked to the opposite corner.  She was grating on his nerves and he didn't know how much more he could take.  _"Damn."_

Rinoa could feel the angry and pain radiating in Squall's aura.  She had successfully hurt him, just as she had wanted to do earlier.  So why did she feel so terrible?  She bit her lip, thinking of a way to apologize or to make it up to him.  After all they had to figure out a way to get out.  That's all she would need him for – to get out and they would never have to see each for the rest of their lives.  A good half and an hour must have passed with only the sound of water dripping.

Her guilt was only increasing by the minute.  She couldn't be like Squall and consciously hurt others.  She sighed and contemplated her options.  There was only one way.  Rinoa frowned, pushing down her pride and her hatred for the man before her.__

Squall fit in with the shadows, dark and unseen while they were still.  He folded his arms, looking out of the cell.  "Enjoying the view?" Rinoa said softly.  No reply.  She took a deep breath.  "Squall . . ." she began.

"Don't," he told her, his gaze still turned away from her.  She picked her way through the debris to him and hesitantly laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't what?" she asked, surprised he hadn't shaken off her touch.  What she had learned from Seifer suggested that Squall hated personal contact.  Yet here he was allowing her hand to remain resting on his jacket.

"Apologize," Squall stated. "_I don't want to hear it."_

"Why?" Rinoa asked curiously.  She tightened her grip on his shoulder, suggesting he face her.  She got her wish, as angry gray eyes met hers.  Her breath caught in her throat as she saw eyes glazed with controlled anger staring coldly at her.

"Because we're both actors and I hate insincere apologies," Squall said boring his gaze through hers, challenging her to contest his claim.

"Why do you think I'm always lying to you?!" Rinoa gritted her teeth, frustrated.  "Why can't you believe that despite everything you've done to me, I don't-" she stopped, surprised at herself.  She hadn't meant to say that much.

The anger in Squall dissipated like the morning fog.  Curiosity replaced it.  "Don't . . .?"

She shook her head and averted her gaze.  Her stupid mouth had said too much again.  Rinoa removed her hand from Squall's shoulder and tried to walk away.  He grabbed her hand and she shivered with an unknown pleasure at the contact.  "_Don't hate you . . ." she finished with her thoughts.  She knew of Squall's past and couldn't blame him for the path he had chosen, for the solitude and crass manners.  Rinoa was a product of being neglected, abandoned as well.  She had turned her energies into her work, into freeing Timber, always hiding herself, ignoring the pain.  _

Squall studied her, wondering what kind of woman fate had brought him.  He tilted Rinoa's chin with his finger to meet his eyes.  "How is that possible?_"_

Her eyes widened and her voice shook with fear.  "You heard me?"

He nodded as he let his gloved thumb caress her soft skin.  His eyes wandered to her lips once more and he found himself longing to kiss her again.  He could feel her heart beat faster as he pulled Rinoa close to his body until they were touching.  Squall bent his head to Rinoa, tickling her senses with the gentlest of kisses.  She wouldn't have guessed this Squall was a romantic and self-restrained.  Rinoa deepened the kiss and subconsciously moaned from the pleasure he gave her.  Squall's grip tightened as his need for her increased.  He nipped her bottom lip, hungry for her.  Then he realized this was not the time or place.  

Squall reluctantly pulled away, but kept Rinoa close to him.  "We need to get out of here."

She nodded and they both turned to the broken ceiling.  It was too high for either of them to reach even if Squall lifted Rinoa.  He turned to her.  "Can you cast Float?"

Rinoa nodded and concentrated.  "I can try." Closing her eyes she allowed the magic running through her blood to accumulate at the tips of her fingers.  "Float."  The two of them rose to the ceiling.  Squall managed to climb up easily and helped Rinoa, who would have collapsed had he not held her.

"Rinoa?" Squall asked concerned.

"Give me a minute," she panted.  The magic had taken a lot from her, despite the relative simplicity of the spell.

Squall waited patiently as Rinoa caught her breath.  She stepped away from him and studied the ancient walls.

"The Tomb of the Unknown King?" Rinoa asked puzzled.  "Why the hell did Seifer put us here?  Why did he even bother letting us live?"

Squall shook his head.  He had the same questions.  "Stay behind me," he ordered as he beckoned her to follow him.

Rinoa rolled her eyes at him, but allowed the corner of her mouths to turn up into a small smile when Squall turned to lead the way.

As they approached the corner Squall signaled for her to stop and wait there.  He flattened his body against the wall and peered around the corner.  It was clear.  "Come on."

Rinoa jogged lightly and stopped behind Squall.  He rounded the corner and ran straight into a creature nicknamed the 'Blob.'  It was a luminescent white-blue and its eyes gleefully looked upon its next victims.  "Shit," cursed Squall under his breath as he assumed a standard martial arts stance.  Rinoa fell into Squall but regained her balance as she cast a weary eye on the creature.

"I think we should run," she told Squall as she dodged an attack from its rubbery arms.

"What? Back to the hole?" said Squall as he successfully punched the gooey mass.  He had caused little damage and Rinoa snorted.

"Like your approach is working!" she yelled at him.

"Cast something!" Squall shouted back at her.

"Argh!" Rinoa said frustrated but took a position behind Squall as she concentrated on casting spells.  "Thunder!" A bolt of lightning sizzled down, greatly injuring the monster.

Squall nodded his approval and continued blocking punches being thrown at him.  Rinoa cast another round of thunder and killed the creature.  Drained, she slumped to the ground.  Squall picked up a health potion the Blob had left behind and kneeled to Rinoa.  She groaned as beads of sweat accumulated on her forehead.  Squall took his glove off and measured Rinoa's temperature.  She was running a high fever.

"We need to get going," Squall urged her.

Rinoa gave him a bitter stare.  "Yeah, right." She choked out a laugh.  "You mean you need to get going.  I'm in no state to walk, and I highly doubt you're going to help me along.  I'm just a burden to you, I always was.  So go!  See if I care!" Rinoa said waving her hand towards him.  Closing her eyes she groaned and her eyes closed.  The magic had cost her too much of her strength.

Squall sighed and weighed his options.  She was right that if he stayed to help her it would only burden him.  But he didn't care.  "_She might be useful later," he convinced himself.  Picking her light frame up, Squall continued on his path towards finding the exit._

Low voices reached his ears and Squall perked up.  What the hell were other people doing here?  He listened closely to the conversation and could pick up words such as: "Leonhart," "Heartilly" "imprisoned," "capture," and "mission."

Squall understood then.  Seifer had been lying . . . but how much was truth?  So Seifer had worked with Galbadian forces and was planning on going back to Garden.  Was he working for both sides?

Rinoa's moaning interrupted his barrage of thoughts and Squall peered around the corner, looking for soldiers.  He wouldn't be able to fight in this state, not carrying Rinoa and without a weapon.  He saw a group of soldiers run off to the left of the tunnel, leaving the close clear for now.  Squall treaded softly towards the exit-

And ran smack into a soldier that had lagged behind.  Immediately the soldier perked up and was about to alert the others he had found the captives when a gaggling sound came out of his throat.  Rinoa was awake, but still weak and had managed to cast Silence.  

"_Smart girl._"

The soldier pulled out his sword and charged towards Squall, who stepped out of the way and kicked him from behind.  Enraged the guy turned around and slashed the sword vertically.  Squall again managed to dodge the blow.

"Hold on," Squall told Rinoa, who nodded and held tightly to his neck.  Squall used a free hand to punch the soldier into the wall.  He followed through with a roundhouse kick that knocked the man down.  Squall quickly grabbed the sword and pointed it at the man's throat.  "Talk," he threatened.

The soldier sneered at Squall and defiantly crossed his arms.  Squall sighed annoyed, "I'm not much of a conversationalist-"

Rinoa snorted.  _"You can say that again_."  Squall shot her a look upon hearing her thought.

"And I'm not patient . . ." Squall trailed off threateningly.  Rinoa undid the silence spell and Squall made a motion to cut the guy's ear off.  "Last chance."

The man looked a bit more convinced that Squall wasn't bluffing but thought he could act the part of the hero.  He remained silent.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."  Squall nodded to Rinoa who cast Silence again.  The gunblader swiped downwards and effectively sliced the soldier's ear off.

The man screamed soundlessly and cradled the side of his head as blood ran down.  "Talk or it's an arm that gets cut off next."

Again, Rinoa removed the spell and rested in Squall's arms.  The spells were draining her.

"Alright, alright," the man moaned, conceding.  "We were sent here by our superior to capture the two of you."

"Why?"

"So both of you would be tortured to death.  It was our deal with Seifer Almasy.  We agreed to kill both of you in return for the traitor Rinoa Heartily," he said moaning as the spot his ear had been throbbed with pain.

"But the General-" Rinoa spoke softly.

"Can't do anything if he doesn't know sweetheart," the man leered at her.

Squall gave him an icy glare as he realized the man was eyeing Rinoa with more than a casual glance.  He shifted her a little farther away from the soldier.

Squall thought to himself and realized the entire situation.  Rinoa must have been wanted by the Galbadian military, but not pursued because of her father, General Caraway.  Seifer offered to hand over Rinoa to them without the knowledge of the General.  He had merely been given to them as part of the exchange – they'd kill him for free.  

He turned his gaze back to the chauvinistic man.  "Thanks," he said and used the butt of the sword to knock the man out a little harder than he needed to . . . 

Rinoa spoke telepathically to him, too tired to voice her thoughts.  "**_A little rough on him."_**

Squall took long strides out of the tomb into the sunlight.  "Accident," he replied dryly.

Rinoa laughed softly and for the first time in his life that he could remember, Squall felt laughter reaching his heart.  The corners of his mouth lifted up in a small smile.


	4. Arguments

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, thanks for the encouragement and the rather colorful ways to motivate me.  'Til next chapter.

P.S. Thanks Optical Goddess for the piece of inspiration in your reviews.  It changed the course of this work, especially when you asked about the guy in the shadows Rinoa talked to.  Thanks to Angel_of_the_Lion for all your imput and feedback too. =)

* * *

**Chapter 4: Arguments**

"Stop right there," commanded a voice behind the barrel of a long shotgun.

"_Fuck_," thought Squall.  He reprimanded himself for not being more careful after coming out of the tomb.  So much for being home free, wherever home was.

"Put her down," a tall cowboy ordered Squall.

"Like hell I'm letting you have her," the gunblader growled immediately, holding onto the sleeping Rinoa tighter.

The auburn-haired man raised an eyebrow, surprised.  "And what were you going to do with her?"

". . .Take her away from the Galbadian military," Squall answered finally.  "Look, can we go somewhere else for you to point your gun at my head.  I'd rather not get caught by the soldiers."

"Squall right?" the man asked.

The mercenary hid his surprise.  "_Why the hell is this getting so confusing?  How does everyone know what they're not supposed to know?"_  "What of it?" Squall snapped.

Irvine held his hands up in a gesture of peace.  "Nothing, just making sure.  Name's Irvine Kinneas by the way.  Specialty's in guns and women."  The cowboy had clearly made a decision about Squall, and trusted him at least a little.

"_Right . . . that's why I'm holding the woman,"_ Squall thought smugly.  "What do you want?" he demanded.

"Rin here hired me," he said, walking behind Squall and Rinoa towards a safer location.

"_What?!"_Squall spun around.

Irvine must have noticed Squall's surprise because he explained.  "To protect her, make sure nothing went wrong."

_"She obviously didn't get her money's worth."_

The sharpshooter continued as he chuckled nervously.  "Well, it didn't go according to plan.  Seifer was smarter than we gave him credit for.  He made sure there was no way a sniper could get a clear shot.  If you remember he used Rin as a cover in the beginning, then you."

"How did she know that I was going to leave. . ." Squall began to ask, but Irvine cut him off.

"You should ask her that when she wakes up.  It's not my place."  They reached a pick-up truck and Irvine opened the doors.  "Get in.  I'll take us back to Rin's hiding place."

Squall sighed and looked around at the vast green plains.  He didn't have much a choice, especially without Lionheart.  Speaking of which . . . "My things are back in Deling."

The two men got in the car, Squall with a little more difficulty as he was holding Rinoa.

Irvine put the keys in the ignition and cocked an eyebrow at the mercenary.  "And your point is?"

He sighed.  "Whatever."  Squall didn't say anything more, as there was no point in arguing with the man.

"All of it is already at Rin's place.  Your weapons though are locked up.  I don't trust you _that_ much."

The truck roared to life as the two sat in silence.  The sharpshooter drove along the plains, apparently not at all uncomfortable with a trained mercenary at his side.

". . . Thanks," Squall said finally.

"You're just lucky Rinoa has a soft spot for you."

"_What?"_

* * *

Squall placed Rinoa gently on her queen-sized bed.  He watched her breathe softly and even slightly smile.  "_She must be having a good dream . . . I wonder if it's about me . . ."_

Realizing what he was thinking, the dark haired mercenary scowled, roughly tossing the blankets over the slumbering princess.  Stomping out of the room he headed to the kitchen, hungry.

"She looks peaceful huh?" Irvine queried as if he knew Squall had watched her.

"Whatever."  Squall opened the fridge, bringing out the ingredients for a sandwich.  Looking out the window, all he could see was trees.  It was serene, and calming for even the most angry of moods.  It unnerved Squall.  Being relaxed led to mistakes.

"You know, I don't know what she sees in you," the cowboy stated as he propped and crossed his long legs across the coffee table.  "Are you always this damn grumpy?"

Squall gave him a cold glare in response.  _"Are you always this damn annoying?"_

"I'll take that as a yes.  I'm just curious though . . . how did you manage to get so many women with _that_ particular attitude.  You could scare away _behemoths_ with just that glare of yours," Irvine remarked.

"I see Seifer told Rinoa more than he should have," the brunette casually remarked, biting into his sandwich.

"That's what traitors do, don't they?  Hey, but back to the topic of conversation.  So what was your strategy – the heartbroken guy, the charming one, the rich playboy-"

Squall gave him a disgusted look and walked to another room.  "_Any more of that guy and I **will** find some way to kill him._"

Finishing his food, Squall lay down on the bed, just thinking.  "_What did he mean by Rinoa having a soft spot for me?  Hyne knows I've treated her like crap – she'd be stupid after knowing what I did to have sympathies.  Then again, she's not stupid, which cancels out that possibility."   _He groaned; he was getting a headache from thinking too deeply.

So enveloped in his thoughts he failed to notice a figure walk into his room.  "Bang," a feminine voice said from the doorway, fingers formed in the shape of a gun.  "For a mercenary you're not very alert."

"Whatever," Squall replied, wanting her to get to the point or leave.

"Not very talkative are we?" she asked.

"What do you want?" he asked, tired of the small talk already.

She sighed.  "Look, I'm willing to forget your . . . mistakes if you help me."  She sat on the edge of Squall's bed as he watched her with a predatory eye.

He laughed derisively.  "My mistakes?  I might have fucked up my mission, but there's other ways to get a promotion.  But you, sweetheart, you're royally screwed.  You don't have Seifer to help you, and you can't use me since I'm not in the position of power you need."

Rinoa became angry.  "You're not in a position to negotiate.  I'll remind you that you're in my house, and it's my rules.  You won't get any chances to get your precious promotion if you're dead Squall.  Or did you forget about that little fact?"

He growled, not liking the situation at all.  "So will you be the one to kill me?  Or will you have your little puppet in the living room do it for you?  I always knew you were a coward."  He got up from the bed, forcing her to stand up as well.

"How _dare_ you call ME a coward.  You were the one going to leave without saying goodbye.  At least you could have had the decency or courage to tell me it was through.  And at least I don't lead people on by fucking _proposing_ to them," she spat.  She brought her hand up to slap him, but he caught her wrist.  "Let go of me!" she yelled.

Squall glared at her, holding her wrist with a bruising grip.  "And what about you Miss Caraway?  Oh, pardon me, Miss _Heartilly_ at least I wasn't using people to start a fucking _war_."

"At least I fight for a cause I believe in; unlike you, my morals can't be bought."

"Right. . ." Squall said in a very cold voice, "As if sleeping with an enemy is not completely sacrificing your morals."  He turned away from her, releasing her wrist, and folding his arms defensively.  "Get out."

Against her wishes, Rinoa blushed and looked at the ground ashamed.  Apparently she hadn't reconciled what she had done yet or thought of it. 

She yanked her hand away from Squall and headed for the door.  "Let me know when you come to your senses," she hissed.

* * *

 "Argh, what am I going to do Irvine?" Rinoa asked as she plopped onto the couch, frustrated.

"About your plan or the guy in your house?" he asked casually while flipping channels on the TV.

"Why won't he help?  I mean . . . should I offer a little more incentive?"

"What did you offer him this time?" Irvine asked.

She gave a short laugh.  "To forget about his mistakes."  Irvine raised an eyebrow.  "Yeah, I guess not much of an offer."

"That still doesn't explain the yelling contest you guys had," he added, while still watching the TV.

"Oh that . . . he's just . . . we just."  She threw her hands up in the air in frustration and got up from the couch.  Rinoa paced around the room, as if wearing out the carpet would solve her problems.  "He's just an ass.  I said something about him using people, and he replied that I did too.  And then we got into an entire moral argument – I said at least I didn't sacrifice my morals like he did.  Then he brought in the me sleeping with him part."

Irvine frowned.  There wasn't a guy that would complain about that unless . . . Seifer.  That must have been the reason, as Irvine remember the furious look on Squall's face when Seifer taunted him about having gotten a piece of Rinoa.  "He said you sleeping with him was sacrificing your morals?"

Rinoa looked over to the cowboy.  "Why does that matter?  Something like that."

"What did he say _exactly_?" Irvine demanded.

She scrunched up her nose in concentration.  "That sleeping with the enemy wasn't completely sacrificing my morals.  He said it sarcastically."

Irvine smirked as he put everything together – the jealousy, possessiveness.  "Well I'll be damned."

"What?" Rinoa asked, still confused.

"Did you ever consider that he might have gotten the wrong impression between you and Seifer?"  The sharpshooter turned off the TV. and put his black cowboy hat over his face, leaning into the couch.  He would take a nap after talking to Rinoa.

"Why would he think I'd do anything with Seifer?  I can't even stand him touching me, let alone anything else.  And why would he even care?"

A smile graced Irvine's lips as he shut his eyes underneath his hat.  "Rin, go back in there and talk to him.  You might want to ask him about the Seifer thing.  If he knew that nothing happened, he might be a little more receptive to the idea of helping you.  If you want to offer anything, that's up to you darlin'."

"You think that'll change anything?" She looked skeptical.

"Trust me."

* * *

The raven-haired sorceress paced in front of Squall's door.  She lifted her hand to knock on the door, but stopped herself.  What was she so afraid of?  It was her house, her rules, but from the butterflies in her stomach, Rinoa could have sworn that the mercenary was in control.

She lifted a pale hand to knock again, but stopped as the door swung opened, revealing a very impatient Squall.

She looked up into his eyes, and almost froze from shock at the frosty glare he was giving her.

"Were you just going to pace in front of the door the entire day?" he growled.  He narrowed his wintry eyes.  "I thought I told you to go away."

Rinoa finally recovered and gave him a hard look.  "It is _my_ house.  I wanted to ask you why you cared so much about the relationship between Seifer and me."

"Relationship?!" he sputtered out.

She raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip, leaning against the doorframe.  "Yeah, you ever heard of professional relationships?"

He could have sworn she was having fun at his expense.  He glowered.  "Whatever.  I don't care who you choose to fuck."

"Is that what you thought?"

Squall turned away, but it was obvious that he thought she had.

"I have another proposition for you.  I help you get your promotion, you liberate Timber no matter what," she said simply.

"How would you do that?" he asked curiously.

Rinoa avoided his eyes.  "There are . . . other files that your Garden would be more interested in.  Galbadia's military weapons, secret base locations, etc."

"What makes you think that I'll help you after you give me the files?"

"I don't.  But it's the best chance for help that we have," she sighed, knowing that there wasn't a very good chance for Timber's liberation.

The handsome mercenary nodded slowly, seeing the logic in her proposal.  "Alright.  You get me those files, I confirm the validity of them, and then we'll go from there."

"You'll have them within two days," she said.  Rinoa turned to leave, but Squall's voice stopped her.

"Did you . . ." he trailed off, not wanting to say the words.  Squall _needed_ to know if she had given herself to his most hated rival.  It had been eating him ever since that night Seifer had taunted him with it.

"No," she said softly.  "No Squall, I didn't."  She seemed to think about saying something else, but decided against it and left.

The gunblader felt overwhelming relief wash over him, and he didn't care to curb it this time.  She hadn't.  That was all that mattered.

* * *

The moonlight kissed Rinoa's sleeping form.  It accented her pale beauty.  Squall let himself enjoy the image for a minute as he stood by her bed.  He needed . . . wanted to stop thinking about her because she would become too great of a liability.  He wanted to prove to himself that he didn't care about her.  He didn't.

Wearing only a cotton pair of black boxers, he kneeled by her side, caressed her face.  She stirred, soft brown eyes fluttering open.  "Squall?"  Her eyes searched his ice blue eyes for his intentions.

She was so beautiful that his breath hitched in his throat.  Innocence and purity surrounded her, just like callousness surrounded him.  He didn't care.  He just didn't.  She was only the best lover he'd had.

Rinoa slowly raised her delicate hand to move his hair out of his face.  He stopped her, suddenly fascinated by the softness, and small size of her hands.  Studying her hand for a few seconds, he returned his gaze to her face, to her inviting soft pink lips.

Searching her eyes for any sign of resistance Squall lowered his lips to hers, kissing her so softly that it only served to fuel his hunger for more.  She ran a hand through his silky brown locks, yielding to his dominance.  He traced her soft curves with a rough hand and laid himself on top of her.

He didn't care.  He didn't.


	5. Bonds

Author's Note: It's a little shorter than the other chapters . . . but I have updated 2 other stories in one day.  Thanks for everyone's support and a special thank you to SoulSwhispers666 for the special encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Bonds**

He never thought to ask.  She never thought to refuse him.  They had reached an agreement of sorts that night.  Two people, once working against each other for their own means, finally understood each other.

Squall groaned softly as his muscles ached.  The morning light reached a far side of the room and illuminated it.  He wished it would go away.  He was still so tired, and he couldn't remember why.  Then it hit him at the same time he heard the person beside him give a soft contented sigh and moved closer to his warmth.

"_Rinoa."_  Blue eyes flashed open and he looked at the sleeping figure.  He nearly panicked, not having ever stayed the morning after.  "_Okay, just stay calm._"  Squall childishly hoped that maybe if he closed his eyes and opened them again she'd go away.

No such luck.  "_What do I do now?_" he asked himself.  Being experienced in combat and espionage had not prepared him for this.  The feelings that he wanted to prove he didn't have were there.  "_Fuck."_  Instead of affirming that she was just a good lay, he confirmed his suspicions that he was attracted to her more than just physically.

Feeling Squall tense Rinoa opened her eyes slowly.  She placed her hands on his bare chest, admiring the feel of his taut muscles.  She shifted some of her weight onto him, laying her head across his chest, knowing that he must have been scared.  He tensed even more.  "Relax Squall," she said in a voice heavy with sleep.  "I don't bite in the morning.  If it makes you feel any better, we'll figure this out later."

With that assurance, the mercenary finally relaxed, wrapping a well toned arm around Rinoa, causing her to be closer to him.  He found that he enjoyed the feeling of having her so close to him, trusting him.

Smelling the scent that was distinctly Rinoa, he closed his eyes, letting himself rest.

* * *

"I suppose I don't have to ask the reason for why Squall's bed was empty last night," Irvine remarked to Rinoa, who had just gotten out of the shower.

She grinned, sticking her tongue out at him, childishly.  "None of your business cowboy."

"Someone's happy today."  He smiled at his friend, hoping that it would be a lasting thing.

"Anywaaays," she said, changing the subject of conversation from a blue-eyed mercenary now in her shower.  Her tone changed to one of a more serious nature.  "I'm getting the files tonight."

"Rin!" Irvine said shocked.  "It's too soon; I haven't got all the information on the patrol schedule of the guards!"

"I know.  But we can't afford to waste any more time.  He needs to files to get a promotion.  And once he's Commander, he can liberate Timber."  Irvine made a motion to protest her plans, but she silenced him, literally.  He gave her a dirty look.  "You know the situation in Timber is getting very desperate.  There's a spy giving information about the resistance groups.  The Galbadians are imprisoning more of the leaders every day.  Everyday we get weaker Irvine!" she said passionately.  "Don't you understand that?  Everyday we wait, they gain more power.  Pretty soon we won't have any one left to stand up to them." 

She made a quick circle with her hand, un-silencing Irvine.  He didn't look happy.  "I don't like this darlin'.  I really don't, but I understand your position.  And how'd you do that so easily?" he said, referring to the Silence spell.  "Usually it takes you a while."

Rinoa looked up from her plate of food she had picked up from the kitchen.  "I . . . don't know actually."  The matter weighed heavily on her mind especially when she realized her powers were growing stronger the longer she spent with Squall.

* * *

"5 minutes I'll be back," Rinoa whispered to Squall, as they sat in the black jeep.  He'd finally managed to get his car back along with his possessions.  "And remember your part of the bargain.  You help liberate Timber no matter what."

He frowned.  "I don't like this."  Squall was worried about the risks they were taking, or more specifically the risk she was taking to get the files.  Suddenly his promotion didn't seem so important any more.

She gave him a soft smile and opened her door.  "If I didn't know any better Squall Leonhart, I'd say you care about me."  She closed it gently, so it didn't emit much of a sound.

The icy-blue eyed mercenary sighed.  If only she knew.

* * *

"Damn it!" she softly cursed.  "Where is that file?"  She had been in there for 3 minutes already and still couldn't find it.  Then she spotted a file upon her father's desk.  It was the one she needed.  With gloved fingers she quickly opened the pages, snapping a few pictures of each page, making sure that she got a good shot of all of them.  A few more pages and she would be done.

Her earpiece sprang to life.  "Get out of there now!" Irvine yelled at her.  "They're coming!"

She ignored his warning and finished the rest of the pages.  Squall needed all of them.  Tucking the camera safely away, she quickly rearranged the file so it looked like no one had touched it.  Hopping around the desk, she climbed through the window.  She began to sprint across the lawn when she heard the sound of a gunshot and then felt pain ripping through her stomach.

Her hands automatically clutched at the bleeding wound, and she wanted to collapse from the pain.  The bullet was dark ammo.  Not daring to turn around, she quickly zipped from tree to tree and towards the car.

"You're done Irvine, get out of here," she whispered heavily into her attached headset.

"Already gone darlin'," she heard the cowboy say.

She breathed a sigh of relief.  That was one less thing to worry about.  Heaving herself away from the tree she finally managed to get on the driver side of the car as Squall rolled the window down.

"Catch," she said, tossing the camera into his lap.

"Get in," he ordered gruffly, relieved that she made it back.

Rinoa pretended to obey but then faked a look of despair.  "Oh no!" she cried, her hand flying to her throat.

"What?" Squall asked, unable to mask his concern.

"My mother's ring!" Rinoa cried, ignoring the loss of blood that was making her dizzy and cold.  "I must have dropped it in there."

"Forget it.  We need to get out of here," Squall reminded her.

"No!  You don't understand.  It's my mother's wedding ring.  It's not something I can replace," she pleaded with him.

Squall sighed.  "No-" 

"Just go on without me, there's a secret passageway through that room.  It'll take me to underneath the tower near the bridge in the middle of town."

"Rinoa-" Squall began.

"Please," she begged.  "I'll meet you at the Deling Hotel ok?"

He was still reluctant, but hell if he had lost the only ring that meant any significance to him . . . "Fine.  Don't take too long though."

She gave him a weak smile and laughed.  "You know me."  She backed off, jogging lightly towards the Caraway mansion again.  She didn't have much time.

* * *

Squall sighed, not liking the uneasy feeling in his stomach.  Rinoa had been acting strangely, but it was her old house and she knew what she was doing.  He paused, looking at the camera she had given him and his eyes opened wide.

It was stained with blood. And then he remembered that he saw the glint of the silver ring she always wore when she came to the car.

She was shot, and suddenly he knew exactly what she was doing.  

Leaping out of the car, he raced towards the old expensive mansion, praying that he wasn't too late.

* * *

_"Almost there . . ."_ she thought, groaning at her wound.  She concentrated on trying to cure the wound, but couldn't.  She had purposefully severed her connection with her knight.  She knew that now.  Squall was fated to be her knight, and her powers were linked to him.  If only she wasn't so weak.  

But the Galbadian guards needed to find a culprit for who had broken in.  She couldn't jeopardize the information Squall had.  If they even suspected Balamb Garden everything would have been wasted.  They would relocate the bases, change the training locations, the missiles, and more.  But if they found her, they would just write it off as a member of the Timber resistance that was too stupid and forgot the file.  Oh how they underestimated the people of Timber.

Only a few hundred more feet and she would be back at the window.  But a strong arm wrapped around her, yanking her back to behind the tree and a gloved hand covered her mouth.

"It's me," Squall harshly whispered, looking for her injury.  Then he saw the streams of blood coming from her stomach.  "Fuck," he cursed.  "Cure!" he commanded, as a green light shot out from the palm of his hand, roughly closing a portion of the wound.  He couldn't use magic more powerful than cure.

He glared at her angrily.  "What the hell do you think you were doing?!"

"Getting my-"

Squall nearly ripped off her the buttons at the top of her blouse as he grabbed her chain with her mother's ring.  "Looking for this?" he hissed.

She turned her head away ashamed, her raven locks hiding part of her face.  And then she regained her courage and purpose.  She couldn't fail Timber . . . moreover she couldn't fail Squall.  Rinoa met his angry ice-blue eyes, "I know what I'm doing _mercenary_.  Maybe you should finish your job too.  Get the fuck out of here and get that promotion.  That's the deal we made."

"So what?  You get to sacrifice yourself as the criminal who got caught trying to steal files?!" he said in a cold voice, full of fury and danger.  "You know what, what the fuck do I care.  Go ahead, die.  Be selfish.  See what good that does you."  Squall got up, and began to stalk away, ignoring the callings of his heart to the woman he was leaving.  He knew she wasn't the selfish one.  She was sacrificing herself for Timber, for her beliefs.  No, she wasn't the selfish one at all.  He was.  He wanted to beg her to stay, to come with him, because he needed her.  But his pride refused his heart's request.  If she chose her beliefs over him, then that was damn fine.

"Yeah leave, you're good at that aren't you?" she challenged him.  "You think it's so easy for me to die.  You think that I'm dying for Timber.  Well it's not just Timber you moron!" she hissed, fighting back the tears in her eyes.  "It's you.  Did you know that the bond between knight and sorceress will most likely lead to the destruction of the knight?  That he becomes insane by trying to keep his sorceress's power in check?  I'm saving you from that fate _Knight _Leonhart!  You stupid bastard.  You never could see that I loved you."  She laughed bitterly at the shocked look on his face.  "Now try telling me that I'm selfish.  Goodbye Squall."  She turned, and began to sprint off, when he finally snapped out of his trance.

He quickly caught up with her and tackled her, before the guards searching the grounds spotted her.  "You stupid woman.  What are you trying to do to me?" he growled at her.  "Who said you could leave me?"  He quickly got up from the ground and hauled her to her feet, lifting her up into his arms.

"Squall!  You're going to ruin everything!  What the hell are you doing?!" she hissed at him as he jogged back to the car.

"I'm not doing anything without you."  He narrowed his wintry gaze upon her and she shivered from the angry blue fire in his eyes.  "Didn't you know-" he asked her as he gently slid her into the passenger's side, his fury slowly fading as the danger decreased.  "That I always get what I want?"  He caressed the side of her face with a gloved hand.

She looked at him with wide brown eyes at his implications.  He closed her door and jumped in the driver's side, seeing the guards run out from the lawn.  "What will happen now though?" she asked before closing her eyes from fatigue.

He slammed on the gas with his black leather boot, making the tires squeal as he made a sharp U-turn.  Strong steady hands gripped the wheel as the woman most important to him was in his care.  "Now we have a get away to make," he replied with the smirk she'd fallen in love with.


	6. Discussions

**Author's Note: **So after a long hiatus I've returned to finish this story. There should be a couple more chapters or so to this story. Thanks for all the support (as always).

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Discussions**

* * *

Rinoa slumped in the passenger seat, crossing her arms to hide the hand covering her side. It ached badly and she could feel warm oozing fluid escape past her fingertips despite her best efforts to staunch them. Squall drove in stony silence, a perpetual frown etched on his face.

She wondered what made him change his mind – coming after her had not been part of the plan, especially now when risked so much to do so.

Rinoa's thoughts were coming hazier. Stupid guard – her father would have his head if he knew he had shot the General's only daughter. She wondered if Squall would be even more upset with her if her blood stained his leather seats. She gave a short laugh, which caused Squall to give her a cursory glance.

"How bad is it?" he demanded to know. He kept his focus on the road, watching for any signs they were being followed. He didn't dare waste any time lingering back at the General's house.

Rinoa waved his question off with the back of her hand. It was her mistake. "It's nothing," she said casually, but her voice sounded weak even to her own ears.

Squall's eyes widened at the blood on her hands as she held them over her side. "Shit," he muttered. It was worse than he imagined – the Cure had done very little for the wound. The tires squealed as Squall slammed his heavy boot on the gas, not concerned with staying low key any more. He thought maybe it wasn't that serious…that maybe she had only gotten clipped on the side. Or perhaps it was denial of caring for her that made him so blind to her serious wounds. He cursed himself for his stupidity.

Rinoa fainted just as Squall managed to park. His mind was in a state of panic. Only deeply ingrained training snapped him into automatic motion. Outwardly Squall appeared clam and collected as he lifted Rinoa from the car and slammed the door closed with the side of his body.

To anyone watching it looked like a man gingerly carrying his sleeping beloved into the house. Squall held her close, trying to make sure no blood was falling onto the ground … at least that's what he told himself.

In record time he carried her inside to the couch and fetched spare bandages. His fingers never hesitated in helping her even though his heart did. What if she had already lost too much blood? They had wasted precious time arguing over trivial matters. His promotion be damned. She was what mattered right now.

Squall's stomach lurched at the revelation. He had known that he was getting too attached to her, but not like this. Finishing wrapping her wound, his blood-stained fingers caressed her pale cheek automatically.

_Fuck. _What was he doing? Snatching his fingers away, Squall stormed off to brood, that is after he placed a clean blanket over her.

Everything in the house was new – it had been paid for by the Estharian President – the man who was only his father in name. Squall had only visited this house once, as he wanted none of his 'father's' charity. He almost sold it, but changed his mind at the last moment.

Amidst all the chaos, one particular thing Rinoa claimed frightened him more than any assignment or threat he had been given before. She loved him. Did she mean it? Or was it just another ruse? Seduction was a powerful tool sorceresses often used. They were master manipulators, using people like expendable pawns in a chess game to achieve their hidden agendas. Rinoa could be trying to destroy Timber for all he knew. Sorceress. Betrayer. Murderess. The three words were synonymous in his mind, and Rinoa was one. How was it possible? He thought naively it could be ignored, but the risks Rinoa had been willing to take to sever the bond between them suggested otherwise.

Knight. Was it true? How did she know he was one, let alone hers? It didn't make any sense – he was a mercenary trained to take Sorceresses down, not help them for Hyne's sake. However it did explain the unnatural occurrences, like the mind reading, his unwanted attraction to her…or was that his own doing? Had she seduced him? But to what end? She hadn't known he was a mercenary using her until Seifer interfered.

Did the person determine the nature of the Sorceress or did the power corrupt every woman chosen? Frustrated at all the questions Rinoa raised, Squall fell onto the bed. He **would **get his mind off her.

* * *

His hair now streaked with white and gray was one of the many signs he was prematurely aged. It came with the high levels of stress and difficult decisions he was required to make daily as General of the Galbadian army. Today was no exception. His breaks came in the form of paychecks, not life.

A young soldier, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties stood uneasily near him, uncertainty and inexperience giving away his nervousness as he held a once elegant, delicate scarf with his fingertips. It was spattered with streaks of copper blood. He found it outside of the General's home after an alarm went off, signaling someone had broken in. The young man was new to the soldier life but already he was considering another job or a new assignment based on the General's demeanor.

"Sir?" he asked uncertainly. He decided (wisely) not to ask if the man wanted to know which documents were possibly compromised.

The General fixed a cool, calculating gaze on the boy, ignoring the stupidly curious look the kid had. "Who fired shots?" His tone was low, but held a dangerous note.

"Sgt. Thompson, sir. He managed to hit the suspect as she was getting away," the young man said, rushing his words, hoping complete cooperation would earn him a small spot in the General's grace. "Sir," he added, almost kicking himself for forgetting. If his superior officer was happy with him, he hid it well.

What he didn't know though, was the scarf had belonged to Julia Caraway until presented as a gift to her daughter … also the General's **only **child.

"Get me Thompson **now**!" General Caraway was seething with unbridled anger.

The soldier stumbled over the rug in his haste to follow the order.

* * *

Moaning softly in pain, Rinoa opened her eyes. Her side was badly aching but she tried to sit up anyways.

A strong, firm hand pushed her back down, ignoring her feeble attempts. "Stay down," Squall commanded her. He didn't sound as angry as she thought he would be. If she was honest or hopeful, Rinoa would admit there was no anger in his voice at all…but how was that possible?

Nevertheless she was not one for taking blind orders. She glared at him, challenging his authority. "It's just a scratch. I think I know myself better than you."

Squall frowned. Her willfulness was irritating his already black mood. "Stay down or I **will **finish the job they started. Got it?" His words sounded harsh even to his own ears and he winced as he saw the hurt look that crossed her face before she looked away. Squall wasn't going to have a Sorceress running around, who knew what she might do or was capable of.

Her mouth gaped open in surprise and disbelief. "You don't trust me." It was more a statement than a question.

Squall narrowed his eyes in irritation. "I thought I told you to stay out of my mind."

Rinoa rolled her eyes at him as she positioned herself more comfortably on the large pillow. "I don't have to read your mind to see the mistrust written so plainly on your face." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I can't believe we're back to this trust issue again. Why is it so damn hard for you to think not everyone is working against you?"

When Squall didn't say anything, Rinoa added spitefully. "You didn't seem to have any trust issues when you were fucking me."

Squall studied her as he sat next to her in an intricately carved wood chair. He knew his silence was only upsetting her more so he rose to leave the room. Her voice stopped him.

"Tell me something, damn you. Why did you even bother helping me if you weren't going to trust me?" Her eyes locked with Squall's.

There was a flicker of emotion in his eyes before she heard his cold words. "Your body would have been evidence."

Rinoa felt the closing of more than one door as Squall left the room. She shivered under the blankets as tears fell from her eyes.

* * *

"Are you going to say anything to me?" Rinoa asked in a steady voice as she could manage. She wasn't going to pretend any more. He hurt her and she was damn well going to let him know it.

Squall kept his back turned from her as he stared out the window. Rain was falling steadily, dripping in fast succession off the tree leaves. The gray, damp weather matched his mood and he was inclined to believe fate played a hand in everything. He heard her voice shaking him out of his reverie – how could he not. It was soft but determined…it was the very sound of his dreams and of his nightmares. Squall knew he was already under her spell. If only she knew the extent of the power she held over him…he wondered what part of her would rejoice – the Sorceress or the woman. And just as surely he began to hate himself. He hated his weakness for her but he couldn't stop his desires. She had become a part of his life…and if she left….he knew there would be a part of him that she would be taking with her.

Her voice interrupted his thoughts again, but this time her tone was more urgent.

"There's no point for me to stay here and impose on your 'hospitality' any longer." Rinoa sighed, absently fidgeting with the new clothes she had changed into. She suspected they were Squall's as the black t-shirt was loose on her as well as the black pajama bottoms. Receiving no response, Rinoa disappeared from the corner she was leaning on to retrieve her shoes. Only when she began to put her shoes on something snapped inside of Squall.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner I was your Knight?" His low voice cut through the stillness of the air and Rinoa's heart sped up as he locked his icy blue eyes upon her, scrutinizing her.

She swallowed, being incredibly aware and uncomfortable at the same time of the presence of her Knight and lover. She knew he was controlling his anger so she chose her words carefully. "Would you have believed me?" Rinoa couldn't help but be entranced by the intensity of his eyes.

"What makes you think I even am one? That I'm your Knight? Did you choose me?" The questions rushed out of his mouth in his eagerness to know the answers. Anger, betrayal underlined the tone of his questions as he was no longer able to maintain the façade of being unaffected by the situation…by her.

"Don't you **feel **it? You must know we're bonded as Sorceress and Knight, whether you or I like it or not." Rinoa rose from the bed, stepping towards him. Squall regarded her with wary eyes. Defeated by his distrust of her Rinoa gave him a small, sad smile. "I didn't 'chose' you in the way you think. I didn't force anything between us. I would have stopped it if I could." She desperately wanted him to believe her words, but she also knew trust didn't come easily to this emotionally insensitive man.

"Why?" A small ache in his heart formed at the implications. Did she not want him?

Understanding his pain, Rinoa sought to soothe him. "Would **you** have wanted this?" She gestured to them with her arms. Her voice lowered. "Would you have wanted 'us' Squall?"

Her heart beat faster as desire and her need for reassurance that she wasn't alone in carrying her burden of a Sorceress. But when her Knight didn't answer her silent plea, she sighed. "Don't you think relationships complicate things, and like I told you before…in every event in history the Sorceress corrupts the Knight. I didn't want to hurt anyone!" she insisted. "I wanted to change the world in a good way." Rinoa closed her eyes, remembering the ideals of her youth. "I wanted to at least give a few people a chance to live their lives freely." Rinoa searched for any reaction on his face. "A bunch of idealistic bullshit to someone like you I know. I dealt with people like you all the time when I still lived with 'that man.' Everything was fake…no one meant anything that they said. All that was important was who you could impress, who you were married to, blah blah blah. Now that was a meaningless existence to me."

There was no change on his face so Rinoa gave up on convincing him of anything. "Look, the why's don't matter to you, but we've made an agreement and that's all I'll expect of you." Her eyes turned bitter. "I know you will keep your word. You're good at doing whatever someone tells you…the perfect little soldier, always obeying orders…never questioning anything for yourself. You'll do what it takes to complete your mission if only just for the job." Her eyes blazed with passionate anger at his seeming apathy. "I'll get out of your life now since we have no further need to discuss anything."

Rinoa yanked on shoes, annoyed with him. She tossed her hair back as she stared hard at him. "Sometimes I wish you were the man you pretended to be. At least you pretended to care about me then. Hell, at least you cared about something other than your job or your stupid promotion."

Rinoa began to march out of the room when Squall's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. "Don't leave," Squall asked her in a hoarse voice. He felt exposed as the rawness of his voice paralleled the depth of his longing for her.

"You haven't given me a reason to stay…" Rinoa replied softly, disarmed with just two words from him. He held more power over her than any of her own desires.

"…Please." The word was dragged from his lips and she knew asking for anything didn't come easily or often from him.

Rinoa gave him a hard look before gently removing his hand from her goose bump-ridden arm. For just once she wanted him to be sincere, so much that she ignored her better judgment telling her it was only another ploy to use her for his own means.

Squall panicked, thinking her answer was no, until he heard her reassuring voice drift to his ears as she treaded lightly out of the room.

"Okay Squall…okay."

Overwhelming relief flooded his body and Squall nearly sagged to the floor from the weight of his previous stress. Despite all his misgivings and confusion he needed her here – Squall could think more clearly knowing she was safe. She was staying, at least for a while and it scared him upon realizing that meant more to him than his promotion ever had.


	7. Eternity

Author's Note: Hi guys, long time no update I know. This is the final chapter that I had written but not typed up some while ago. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and finally finishing this story.

**Chapter 7 - Eternity**

* * *

"Well, not quite. History books are misleading, especially with the bias of the writers of the time. Can you blame them though?" Intelligent eyes peered out of the gold-framed glasses, as she shifted through papers while talking on the phone. She rolled her eyes as the person on the other end heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Your impatience hasn't changed a bit," she noted with a hint of disapproval in her voice. "Alright, back to what I was saying. There are two misconceptions – one, that the Sorceress corrupts the Knight. From what I've gleamed through reading several research articles it's not the Sorceress that corrupts the Knight, it's the person."

She was cut off by a simple one worded question.

"What?"

The blonde sighed again. If only she had managed to convey to him the importance of patience. "What I mean is the nature of the person determines the nature of the Sorceress and subsequently the very magic that develops. Intent matters a great deal, more than you realize. That is, how the woman uses her powers – for good or evil so to speak. It is responsible for the kind of Sorceress she becomes. The corruption of the Knight is merely a reflection of the path she's chosen."

She paused, thinking carefully on how to construct her next few words. She decided to let her more protective side shine through. "Squall," she said as her lips pursed in a frown – more concerned than disapproving. "I should mention that the bond between Sorceress and Knight is a tentative one until committed to by both parties. The books weren't clear on this, but the Knight must pledge himself in some way – the intent must be true to permanently bind himself to his Sorceress. The Sorceress can either accept or deny it. I suspect there are certain motives behind your questions, Squall," Quistis said, trying to convey the importance of her message.

"Please don't do anything foolish. If you've found a Sorceress you need to bring her in to Garden. Once pledged, there is NO turning back. It is a permanent bond," she stressed. Her tone was even, but it was the little things that gave away her anxiety and worry for her former student. Her fingers twirled a loose strand of hair, absent-mindedly.

"Thanks," Squall said, cutting off the rest of the conversation.

He probably hadn't wanted her lecturing, but honestly did he realize what he was doing? Quistis suddenly remembered something she had neglected to tell Squall.

"Wait!" she cried in alarm, hoping that he hadn't already hung up. When there was no answer, numbness spread through her body. It had been just as important as the other points she had made. She glanced down at the section she had underlined in the text and read it over again, desperately wishing it wasn't true.

_All Sorceresses require Knights. Knights balance the awesome power that Sorceresses can wield. Dark Sorceresses need Knights to maintain their sanity, while Light Sorceresses need them to live and fully realize the potential of their magic. It is tragic and ironic that the reputation of the Dark Sorceresses permeates throughout society. Light Sorceresses are the most likely of the two types to die early because they are likely to be rejected by their Knights who have only heard of the destructive potent power of the other type._

As she mused over her thoughts she thought perhaps it was for the best then that Squall hadn't heard the rest of her lecture. If he had indeed found a Dark Sorceress, Garden would be quick to capture her, as Dark Sorceresses rarely stayed under the radar for long. And if the other case was true – that he had discovered a Light Sorceress … well, she would die on her own without her Knight. Squall didn't need to be distracted by such burdens.

* * *

Squall sat, unmoving, in a chair across from Rinoa, who was still resting after the ordeal from last night. He already had the pictures developed by a trusted source and knew the files in the photographs to be genuine. She had executed her part of the bargain as promised. There should have been nothing holding him back in Deling. All that was left for him to do was return to Balamb, where Seifer would be exposed as a traitor with Rinoa's files along with Squall's testimony. He briefly wondered if Seifer had been imprisoned yet, after Cid and the others saw the content of his so called confidential Galabadian military files.

With completion of this mission, Squall would earn his long awaited promotion that no longer held as much appeal as it used to. Despite all of the incentives to go back to Balamb he found himself glued to the chair watching this slip of a woman sleeping peacefully.

Sorceress. His Sorceress if he took up the position as her Knight. Squall very much doubted he'd be allowed to remain in Garden with that particular title. He could hear them clamoring for the termination of his employment already … if he became her Knight. Squall knew the bond was still weak as he had not agreed to the duty yet – neither in words nor in heart. Could he really give up the only real home he had known for Rinoa? If she became corrupted he would become essentially her slave if she willed it. The other possibility was finding his equal in every sense of the word. He would help her balance the awesome power a Sorceress could wield, and she would be his strength. He risked losing much for a woman he was only beginning to really understand. Squall wasn't sure of the feelings he harbored for her. Yes, he didn't want any harm to come to her, and he had burned with rage upon Seifer's insinuation of having known her intimately. He enjoyed and even craved her company, but what if those feelings didn't last past a few years. Then he'd be stuck as her Knight with no way out.

But even more than his own feelings of doubt was the nagging question - would Rinoa tire of him after a few years? If leaving her now was already difficult, he couldn't imagine what it would feel like after spending years with her – learning more about her intriguing personality. What her likes, dislikes were, what it was to know a person so completely that words were not needed to understand each other. It would crush him to invest so much in a relationship only to be casually tossed aside when interest waned. That was a risk he wasn't sure he wanted to take. No guarantee of being content with his life with so many chances of ending alone and miserable.

With that thought, Squall gathered the photographs and headed back to Balamb.

* * *

Rinoa woke up with a distinct sense of loss. Focusing on her Sorceress instincts she realized that Squall was no longer near. Disappointment filled her with a painful reminder that she had once again expected too much from Squall. As she began to get up her hand slapped against a small scrap of paper next to her.

_Left for Balamb. Stay at the house as long as you'd like._

It wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be. There was only one person that could write like that – dismissing her so easily as he dismissed their bond. She didn't know what to feel any more. Bitterness? Hurt? Longing? Some facts of life were unavoidable and she wouldn't be the one to pine away for him. This was his choice. Now it was hers to accept it and move on, or be forever marked by his decision.

Rinoa left the same day with Irvine picking her up. Before he could ask any questions she turned to him with a determined gleam in her eye. "I don't want to talk about it or _him_."

Upon seeing the look on her face, the cowboy just nodded, wondering what had gone so wrong between the two, but he knew better than to pry.

* * *

_6 months later_

Sparklers, impromptu fireworks, street dancers littered the streets in downtown Timber. Their long awaited independence had been achieved at last – thanks to successful negotiations between Galbadia and Timber. Surprisingly, Balamb Garden had been the catalyst, mediating deals that would profit both parties. Not many knew the reason for SeeD's unusual involvement in politcs but Rinoa did. Her heart ached a little and she immediately went for a small glass of champagne. Her lips curved in a small, private smile as one of her life's goals had finally been accomplished. She could rest satisfied, if not happy.

Dressed in a floor length sparkling deep blue gown at the elegant ball hosted by her own father no one would have guessed the best doctors money could afford had given her only a few more months to live. They didn't know what was wrong with her, but her body seemed to be shutting down on its own. Her father tried in vain to fix whatever the problem was, but Rinoa knew it was futile and had asked the man she once loathed to let her live the rest of her life in peace. He acquiesced, and the two had never gotten along better since. Even though she had tried to forget about Squall ever since left it seemed as though her heart had not. She knew now the loss of her Knight was slowly killing her, but she found that she would not beg nor tell Squall to come back. She would pass through this life with her pride intact. With that in mind she focused again on the party – she was here in support of her father after all.

Rinoa found herself surrounded by politicians trying to earn her father's favor through her. Didn't they realize she could see right through their little schemes?

Obviously not as someone tapped her bare shoulder, causing her to force a smile and turn around. Her dress twirled elegantly around her and she spied the stranger eyeing her with appreciation.

"May I have this dance Ms. Caraway?"

This one had definitely not done his homework as she had never reverted back to her birth name even after she had reconciled with her father. He had never told her why he had come to apologize to her in the first place but at the back of her mind she suspected a certain blue-eyed mercenary's involvement.

She almost told the man off but when she looked closer his features reminded her of Squall. She could almost pretend that he had come back for her. The man's crisp SeeD uniform caused her to accept his invitation.

The mercenary tried to make small talk with her but she couldn't find it in herself to listen to his obvious flirting with her. That is, until he mentioned his grueling training sessions.

"Do you realize how much more difficult SeeD is now? Not just anyone can make it," he continued desperate to spark some form of interest from his beautiful dance partner. "After Commander Leonhart took over, about sixty percent of the cadets don't make it past the first week."

Rinoa nearly stumbled in the middle of the Timber two-step, the latest dance added to ballroom dance repertoire now Timber was actually a country. It was amazing what respect was accorded to independent nations. "Who did you say was the new officer?" Rinoa sharply questioned him. She felt a sudden tingle shoot throughout her body but thought nothing of it.

"Commander Leonhart. He's actually my superior officer. We're pretty close. I could take you to meet him if you'd like." He sent a sly wink her way. "He's not easily reachable but I'm sure I could arrange something for you if you know what I mean."

Rinoa glared at him as he dared to slip his right hand lower than what would be deemed respectable. Before she could tell him off herself, with a nice little soundless scorch spell or two, a voice that both thrilled and haunted her cut in.

"May I?" Squall directed his question at Rinoa, whose body had stiffened at hearing his voice.

The icy glare Squall sent toward Lieutenant Starling quelled any thoughts the young SeeD had about staying with the beautiful woman. Before he nearly ran out of earshot Squall calmly called after him, "I'll see you at Monday's training Starling." The man's shoulders sagged, realizing that Monday was going to be a hellish day for him. Perhaps if he was lucky, he'd pick up some sort of life threatening disease that would give him an adequate excuse to skip Monday's session.

"Commander, huh?" Rinoa asked with a half-smile.

Squall nodded.

"Congratulations then. I know you worked hard for it," she said sincerely. Even though he had hurt her she still wanted the best for him. She blamed those thoughts on their lingering Sorceress-Knight bond.

He took her hand in his as the next song started. The corner of Squall's mouth quirked up in an almost-amused smile. "Thanks. Congratulations on Timber's liberation," he said in return.

"It seems like we both got what we wanted," Rinoa remarked quietly, finally at peace with herself. She would be content with this, seeing Squall one last time, alive and well.

"Not everything." He sent her a pointed look.

"That was your choice may I remind you." She was proud of herself that her voice remained calm and even despite the now rapid beating of her heart. What did he want from her now?

He spun her gracefully as the edges of her gown twirled up, exposing the lower half of her legs. His imposing figure in his pressed uniform along with her effortless beauty cut an impressive scene to anyone watching. They barely noticed the attention they were attracting. Even her father had stopped his conversation with Timber's new president to study the pair.

"I needed time." During the months he had been gone he had found out a great deal about Sorceresses, including the fact that the Headmaster's wife was one. That made things a lot easier for him regarding bringing her back to Garden and into his own life.

"You never came back," she retorted, her feet moving back to their original dance position from the spin – closer to him.

"What do you call this?" He raised an eyebrow as his cool steady gaze never left her face.

"Required attendance." She wouldn't let him back into her life, not so easily, not after the last time.

He snorted. "Hardly. Behemoths couldn't drag me to a dance if I really didn't want to go." He led her in effortless fluid movements counterclockwise around the room.

When he made no move to offer anything else Rinoa decided to get to the point. She wouldn't let him string her along again. "What do you want Squall?" she asked bluntly.

_Isn't it obvious? _He dipped her with little warning as the song ended even as he used their link to talk to her telepathically. Squall anticipated her surprise and so made sure to support her fully. _I came for you, my Sorceress_. Squall lifted her up, staggering a little as the power surged through them both as the meaning behind his words completed the ancient ritual to bind the Knight to his Sorceress, and her to him.

"What have you done?" Rinoa gasped, out of breath from the sheer power she could feel bursting to life in her blood. She could feel everything around her as her senses went into overdrive, but most of all she could feel him. Rinoa felt all at once his protection, his presence, but most of all his intense love for her. It nearly overwhelmed her.

Squall gently guided her with a possessive hand on her back out of the ballroom, away from the throngs of people onto the deserted balcony of a nearby room.

"Do you realize what you've done?" Rinoa demanded to know. Every part of her that had felt as if it were wilting and fading away had come back to life with his pledge. She knew at once she was no longer dying.

Squall nodded, a little worried of her reaction, but found his reassurance as he sorted through their bond – finding her feelings for him were equal to his own. She was his match – _his _Sorceress.

Rinoa paled as the full implications of his actions hit her. "My magic, Squall …" she trailed off as a soft shimmer of glittering blue light fell from her fingertips. In awe of the power she could feel radiating throughout her body she studied her hands briefly before pulling the outward manifestations of her magic back into her.

Curious more than anything else she turned to her fully-fledged Knight. "What made you think I hadn't changed my mind?"

An amused look met her brown eyes. "Pledging to be your Knight wouldn't have done anything if you didn't want it."

She really wanted to deny his presumptuous statement but at that moment Squall pulled her close to him, running his hands up her arms to prevent the chill of the air from reaching her.

He couldn't help but add, "So I take it you missed me then."

Rinoa hmphed. "Only a little, you arrogant jerk," she retorted with no sting in her words, but made no move to get away from him, relaxing in protection he offered. "You still have a lot to make up for you know," she murmured as she leaned against him, closing her eyes as she finally found true peace within herself.

Squall smiled at that as he held her close.

"I mean it," she insisted, wanting to win something with him for once. "A lot."

"An eternity's worth," he agreed before turning her to face him and gently kissing her under the brilliant winking stars.


End file.
